College football picks, predictions, odds: Michigan-Michigan State, USC-Utah among best bets in Week 8
No. 18 USC and No. 9 Oregon fell from the ranks of the unbeaten last week, but the impact is different for each team. Oregon lost a conference game at Washington, so the Ducks have likely erased any margin for error it has in the Pac-12 title race. The Trojans' loss at Notre Dame hurts in terms of trying to qualify for the College Football Playoff, but they remain undefeated in Pac-12 play and in control of their own conference championship fate.
At least one more undefeated team will fall this week as No. 3 Ohio State hosts No. 6 Penn State in a pivotal Big Ten clash. The only other conference with multiple undefeated teams is the ACC: Florida State and North Carolina. The Seminoles and Tar Heels will not meet in the regular season.
Each week, I use this space to tell you what I think are a few of the best bets heading into the weekend. I also throw in an upset of the week, which will feature a team that is at least a touchdown underdog that I am picking to win outright. I will also give you picks on other games involving potential College Football Playoff teams. This early in the season, any major conference team that hasn't lost twice yet is technically still a CFP candidate. So, for now, I'll go with the current top 12 in the AP Top 25 rankings.
Last week I was 2-1 on the regular picks, pushing my record to 12-6 on the season. The upset special is still looking for its first hit, but I have a good feeling about this week, which is not always the case.
Odds via SportsLine consensus
Week 8 picks
No. 2 Michigan (-24.5) at Michigan State
You'd normally expect a good fight in a big-time rivalry game such as this, but I am not sure the Spartans have enough fight in them for Michigan. The Wolverines have been a machine, pounding teams into submission week after week. Lately, Michigan has cranked it up a notch, winning its last three games by a score of 50-8. It is hard to expect much better than that from the Spartans. Pick: Michigan -24.5
South Carolina at No. 20 Missouri (-7.5)
Mizzou has been one of the more pleasant surprises this season as the Tigers are off to a 6-1 start following a win at Kentucky last week. The Gamecocks, on the other hand, have struggled to string wins together. They had a good shot at Florida last week but came up two points short in a 41-39 loss. South Carolina can hold its own offensively, but the defense is not good enough yet. I think Mizzou could double this line. Pick: Missouri -7.5
Minnesota at No. 24 Iowa (O/U 32.5)
Iowa moved into first place in the Big Ten West last Saturday with a win at Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes play ugly but effective football. Minnesota, like the rest of the Big Ten West, is more ugly than effective. The O/U seems to be getting remarkably lower each week for the Iowa game; this week's total is four points fewer than last week after the Hawkeyes and Badgers combined for 22 points. I'm not ready to abandon the Iowa under just yet. Pick: Under 32.5
Upset of the Week
No. 14 Utah at No. 18 USC (-7)
The Trojans are coming off a terrible performance at Notre Dame in which they turned the ball over five times. They're back at home this week but facing a Utah defense that's one of the best in the country. The Utes will probably still be without quarterback Cam Rising, but they have overcome that pretty well so far this season. If Utah wins, it would be its fourth straight victory over USC. Pick: Utah +7
Other CFP candidates
Which college football picks can you make with confidence in Week 8, and which underdogs will win outright? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread -- all from a proven computer model that has returned more than $2,000 in profit over the past seven-plus seasons -- and find out.
